


A Discovery by Roman

by Badgermole



Series: Colors [5]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Autism, Fluff, Gen, Kid!Roman, Nonverbal Communication, dad!logan, kid!virgil, nonverbal, secret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 23:18:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17130587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badgermole/pseuds/Badgermole
Summary: Virgil had a surprise for Roman. Plus, Virgil has unknowingly been keeping a secret from Roman.(Just read it, Nike Swoosh)





	A Discovery by Roman

Virgil was bouncing around his room. His bare feet sank into the soft carpet. His left arm was rubbing circles on his basketball shorts enjoying the netted texture. His right arm swung around flapping a bit. Some ‘PG-13’ music was blasting so he could feel the strong beat in his bones. Today he was going to show his best friend his word card.

Virgil didn’t really talk. It wasn’t something that bothered him much, the only people he really interacted with were his dads, his doctor, and Red. Virgil didn’t like being around people and he never felt the need to talk with them much anyway.

But sometimes, sometimes it did bother him.

After working a bit with Pink and the Blues, they had figured out a system for Virgil. Virgil now carried around two index card sized laminated cardstock cards. One with his identification information and the information for who to contact in case of an emergency, with both colors and names. The second was double-sided with a grid full of some common words and phrases.

It wasn’t hard to figure out. If Virgil wanted to say something he could point to the words or phrases. Simple. What was more complicated was getting Virgil to a point where he was comfortable with it. It was a slow process. Virgil spent the first couple of days refusing to move them from coffee table, the next he just carried them around in his pocket. He stayed the longest at pulling the card out before quickly sticking the card back into his pocket.

Logan and Patton had been cuddling on the couch. Virgil was sitting on the couch with the word card in his hands. The small boy ran his fingers around the smooth laminated edges trying to work up the courage to _say_ something. The Blues had acknowledge his presence when he had shuffled in and placed himself on the cushion next to them, but they hadn’t said anything yet. Some science documentary involving cute animals played in the background, a compromise between the two adults.

Virgil poked the card and before he had a chance to talk himself out of it, he let out a whisper of “Blue.”

Both glasses wearing teachers turned and looked from Virgil’s face to the word card.

<Hello>

While they knew Virgil was working hard on using the word card, they honestly weren’t expecting it to happen tonight. Logan was the first to snap out of his shock.

“Hi Purple.” He whispered as he lowered the volume on the TV. He didn’t want to pressure his son into talking. This was already so much for his son.

Virgil looked down at the card, though Logan was fairly certain that Virgil had memorized the grids days ago. Virgil moved his finger and tapped another square.

<How are you?>

“I’m doing really well kiddo.” Patton said as he excitedly hugged Logan knowing Virgil wouldn’t appreciate the hug right now.

Virgil stared down at the card again. They were supposed to ask how he was. He wasn’t sure what to do now so he nodded a few times while rubbing his shorts and left the living room. Logan and Patton blinked at each other in a mixture of surprise and confusion.

“He used it.” Logan whispered and pulled Patton tighter into his chest. No, his eyes weren’t watering. It was the reflection from the water from the documentary.

 

It was now a week later from that night. Virgil wouldn’t use the card a lot, but at breakfast he would go through the routine of saying hello and asking how the Blues were. Today Virgil and Roman had a playdate scheduled. Today, Virgil was going to talk to his best friend.

Virgil blinked as someone knocked on his door. He froze his movements as the song continued around him. The door didn’t open which meant it wasn’t the Blues, they knocked before coming in. Virgil blinked as another set of rhythmic knocks was heard over his music. Red.

The younger boy moved across the room and turned off his music before changing out of the shorts into a pair of pants. The rhythmic set of knocks was heard one more time before Virgil patted his pocket and opened his bedroom door.

Virgil smiled and let his eyes loop around Roman’s head before settling on the other’s chest.

“Hi Purple!” Roman smiled. It had been ages since they had played together, and since Virgil didn’t exactly attend school he hadn’t seen the other.

Virgil hummed and nodded his head a few times before carefully yanking Roman into the room by his sleeve.

“I’m excited to see you again too.” Roman let himself be navigated by the younger boy. Virgil plopped down on the carpet so his back rested against his bed. Virgil patted the ground next to him and let the fingers on his other hand tap the pocket which held the cards.

Roman dramatically dropped down next to his friend. He opened his mouth to start talking but Virgil quickly covered his friend’s mouth and let out a quiet pained noise.

“Purple?” Roman tilted his head as Virgil fumbled with pulling something out of his pocket.

Virgil laid out the identification card and word card on the floor centered in front of them. Virgil quickly tapped one of the boxes on the grid. Roman’s eyebrows furrowed as he leaned around Virgil’s arm to get a better look at what his friend was so excited about.

<Hello.>

“Hello?” Roman asked and leaned back against the bed.

Virgil moved his finger and rapidly tapped another box.

<How are you?>

“How are you?” Roman echoed again. Virgil’s tapping slowed until he was just pressing his finger into the box. Roman didn’t understand. All of Virgil’s excitement disappeared and his shoulders began to raise toward his ears. A horrible silence fell between the two. Although Virgil couldn’t tell, the gears in Roman’s brain were moving faster than ever.

Realization finally dawned on the slightly older boy.

“I’m good, how are you?” Roman asked excitedly.

Virgil smiled and quickly tapped the box with the picture of a smiling face.

Roman nodded. “Me too!”

 

Neither was sure how long their simple conversation lasted, but finally Roman noticed the color coded ID card.

“What’s this one?” Roman asked and grabbed the ID card.

<Me> <Help>

Roman was suddenly on his feet. “What!?!”

Virgil flinched away at the sudden outburst from his friend. He sounded… mad?

“You didn’t tell me!” Roman waved the card around in the air.  Virgil shrunk into himself and suddenly wished he hadn’t changed out of his shorts. Roman was pacing around the room, glancing between his friend and the card.  Virgil wasn’t sure what he had done wrong.

“VIRGIL?” Roman shouted throwing his hands in the air. The ID card flew out of his hands and floated slowly to the floor behind him. “YOUR NAME ISN’T PURPLE?”

Roman stood in his exaggerated pose while Virgil was curled up shaking like a leaf against his bed. A quiet oh escaped Roman’s lips and he took half a step closer before deciding it was best to give Virgil space. The prince rubbed the back of his neck. He hadn’t meant to get so… dramatic. It just happened!

It had been a few minutes and Virgil’s behavior hadn’t changed. It wasn’t like the other really bad times, it was just a bad time. Roman chewed his lip. He didn’t want to leave Virgil alone but he did want to make sure Virgil was okay.

“Purple.” Virgil whispered.

Roman nodded letting his head snap up and down far too quickly. “Purple.”

Virgil was calming down and Roman took that as it was okay to sit back down next to him. The pair sat in silence again as Virgil finally reached a completely calm point.

“You’re my friend Purple.” Roman smiled awkwardly.

<Friend.> <smiley face>

Virgil scrambled over to the ID card and placed it back beside the word card. Virgil held his finger over the section dedicated to Red and Green, Roman and his dad.  The color focused boy looked up and let his eyes circle around Roman’s head once before finally placing his finger down on the card.

<Roman.>


End file.
